Apparatus for unwinding cylindrical cotton-bales



Patented Aug. 2, |898. A. B. BUSCA & E. W. BENNER. APPA'RATUS'FURUNWINDING CYLINDBICAL COTTON BALKES.

(Applicaiinn led Nov. 29, 1897.)

(No Indel.)

2 Sheets-Sheet I.

Gull

lo. 608,399. Patented Aug. 2, Issa.

A. B. BuscA a. E. w. Berman. A APPARATUS FUR UNWINDING` CYLINDBICALSUTTON BALES.

(Application hd Nov. 29, 1897.) (N0 Modal.) 2 Sheets-SheeiZ.

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APPARATUS FOR UNWINDING CYLINDRICAL COTTON-BALES.v

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 608,399, dated August2, 1898.

Application ledNveiber 29, 1897. Serial No. 660,114. (No model.)

T all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, ANADORE B. BOSOA and ERNEST NV. BENNER, of Lowell,county of Middlesex, and State of Massachusetts,

have invented an Improvement in Apparatus for Unwinding CylindricalCotton-Bales, of

I which the following description, in connec- -1 tion with theaccompanying drawings, is a specification, like letters Aand figures onthe drawings representing like parts.

A considerable and constantly-increasing amount of cotton is nowdelivered to manufacturers in the form of cylindrical bales, wherein thecot-ton in a continuous bat of substantially uniform thickness anddensityl accompanying drawings one embodimentof our invention, the sameconsisting, essentiall y, of an endless traveling carrier the upper runof whichis arranged to travelin a sinuous path, forming one or moredepressions, each depression being adapted to receive and support a baleto be unwound, the unwound bat being carried by the carrierto a suitabledelivery-point.

The ldepressed portion of the carrier by increasing the arc of contactwith the bale aids in the rotation of the bale and the unwinding of thebat and retains the bale until nearly unwound; but when the weight ofthe bale is so decreased as to be overcome by the pull of the bat andthe motion of the carrier the unwound portion will be drawn up and alongthe carrier out of the depression. In order to prevent, suchV unwoundmass from being delivered from the apparatus, we provide a rotatingdetent at the delivery end thereof above the bat, the direction ofrotation being opposite to that'of the unwinding bale,.so that as thelatter meets thedetent it will be retained and rotated thereby untilsubstantially complete unwinding is elfected.

`lVe have herein shown our apparatus as adapted to perform theunwindingoperation continuously, so that bales may be placed therein oneafteiaiiother and begin to unwind before the Vcomplete unwinding of thefirst bale, whereby a continuous bat or abat of two or more Yplies maybe unwound and delivered.

It will thus beobvious that by our invention We are enabled tounwindbales most effectively with a minimum amount of handling, and alsoto greatly economize in the matter of time, for a number of bats from asmany bales can be delivered simultaneously.

Figure 1 is a side elevation and partial longitudinal section of anapparatus embodying our invention, the bale-loading mechanism beingomitted to avoid confusion and save space. Fig. 2 is a plan viewthereof, showing the operating-pinions for the loading mechanism. Fig. 3is an enlarged detail to be described of a locking device. Fig. 4 is aside elevation of the receiving end of the apparatus shownin Fig. l witha loading mechanism applied thereto; and Fig. 5 is a plan view of theloading mechanism, centrally broken out.

Referring to the drawings, the frame A of suitable size and shape tosupport the operative parts of the apparatus is herein shown as providedwith bearings for the journals of a plurality of rotatable drums D, D',D2, and D3,` acting as supports for an endless travelingl carrier G,shown as a slatted apron or lattice' of well-known construction and ingeneral use in cotton machinery.

The carrier is of greater length than necessary to merely pass aroundthe endmost drums, so that the upper run of the carrier may sag or bedepressed between its rotatable supports, the upper run thus assuming asinuous path as it travels forward.

Rotation may be limparted to the drums in any suit-able manner, y andherein we 'have shown a pinion dx on a driving-shaft DX in mesh with agear d, fast on the journal of the drum D, the said journal at its otherend, Fig. 2, having a sprocket-wheel 2, connected by a suitable chain 3with a sprocket-wheel d on IOO the journal of drum D'. On the other en dof the journal a sprocketavheel d is connected by a chain t with asprocket-wheel di on the journal of. drinn D2, a second wheel dT on saidjournal being connected by a chain 5 with a sprocket-wheel d on thejournal of drum Dl.

The lower run of the carrier C may, if desired, be supported by alongitudinal shelf A', lt'ig. l, suitably attached to the fralne, thelatter being also provided with upright sides A2, extending the lengthof the frame just beyond the ends of the drums and the longitudinaledges of the carrier to prevent lateral movement of the bales and batsduring the unwound operation.

The bales to be nnwound are placed in the depressions or saggingportions of the upper run of the carrier between two of thesupporting-drums instead of over the latter, the weight of the baletaking up some of the slack of the carrier and increasing andmaintaining the hollow or depression. So long as the depression ismaintained by the weight of the bale or otherwise the forward movementof the carrier will cause the bale to rotate and to unwind the bat, thelatter being carried along by the carrier, while the inclined sides ofthe depression retain the bale therein. This prevents any lia-bility ofone bale being carried forward by the travel of the carrier to interferewith another bale and so render the apparatus inoperative, as we preferto unwind several bales at once.

In the operation of the apparatus a bale, as I3, Figs. l. and 2, isplaced upon the carrier at the right-hand end of the machine between thedrums D2 and Di, and the first thing to be accomplished is the removalof the cover 20, of burlap or other cloth. If this is wound helcallyupon the bale, the end of the cover is detached and carried up over asuitable brush or delinting-roll DX, mounted in supports A: on the frameand rotated by any suitable means in the direction of arrow 30, Fig. l,so that the valuable staple which clings to the under surface of thecover may be stripped off and saved without hand labor. lVhen the coveris removed and the end of the bat found and loosened, the travel of thecarrier C in the direction of arrow 32, Fig. l, will carry the bat alongas the rotation given to the bale unwinds it, the bat finally passingfrom the delivery end of the apparatus.

In the apparatus herein shown three bales D, D', and 152 are beingunwound simultane ously, thus delivering a three-ply bat, the secondbale l5 resting on the bat coming from bale D, while the bats from bothof these bales pass under the third bale B2.

XVe prefer to run the apparatus continuously by moving the middle andrearmost bales ahead into the places formerly occu pied by the leadingand middle bales, respectively, as the leading bale is completelyunwound and inserting a fresh bale in the place formerly occupied by therearmost bale as each transfer is effected. The leading bale, as il?, isalmost entirely unwound while in the depression of the carrier betweenthe drums D and D; but as its weight decreases to such a point that itwill not maintain the carrier properly depressed we prefer to mountabove the carrier at each side of the frame suitable rotatable pulleysor disk-like guides G, which bear upon the carrier near its edges andmaintain the downward curve in its path between the drums D and D. Owingto the decreasing weight of the bale the depression in the carrier willfinally cease to be effective and the unwound mass remaining will beearried forward and discharged in such condition unless prevented. lVeeffect this by means of a detent (shown as a small roller DW) mountedabove the drum D at a sufficient height above the carrier to permit thedesired thickness of bat to pass between them, the roller being rotatedat ahigh speed oppositely to the direction of rotation of the bale inunwinding. The roller acts upon the unwound mass and tends to drive itback, imparting at the same time rotation thereto to unwind it until itis su fticiently unwound to be discharged.

A friction-pulley (ZW on the journal of the detent Dl" is shown inposition to be engaged by the outer surface of the driving-belt D,passed around the pulley D" on the drivingshaft DX, such engagement ofthe belt rotating the detent at high speed in the proper direction.

Then the leading bale has been unwound, the next bale behind is movedforward into the front depression in the upper run of the carrier, andthe third bale, in the apparatus herein shown, is moved forward into theplace left vacant by the middle bale, so that a fresh bale can be placedin the apparatus. Such transfer of the bales could be accomplished bythe attendants lifting the bales over the supporting-druins of thecarrier; but we have herein shown one convenient form of means foreffecting the transfer easily and mechanically.

Rock-shafts nl. and n are journaled in the main frame below the upperrun of the carrier, nearand behind the drums D' and D2, respectively,said shafts having arms m n fast thereon, which carry at their endspreferably rotatable rolls mX nx. The rock-shaft a extends at one endbeyond the side A2 and has fast thereon a gear n2 in mesh with astopgear al, rotatably mounted on an arm nl, pivotally hung on therock-shaft and adapted to be moved into mesh with the pinion (Z22 on theshaft of drum D2. Normally the roll fax is in the position shown back ofthe lowest point of the depressed portion of Ithe carrier C in which thebale ll rests, but when the gear al is lifted, by means of asuitablehandlever n, into mesh with the pinion d the latter will rotatesaid gear, and thereby the gear n2. The rock-shaft nis thuspartiallyrotated to raise and move the roll 'MX upward and IOS forward in the arcof a circle against the under side of the carrier, lifting the latterbehind the bale B until the latter rolls or is carried forward over thedrum D2 and into the depression of the carrier between drums D2 and D.Atthis point the continuous portion 'n.6 of gear `vn2 comes in contactwith and is thrown ont of mesh with the pinion (Z22, and the forwardmovement ot the roll nx ceases, its return to normal position beingfacilitated by a spring S, acting on a plunger 8, attached to a pin s'on one ofthe arms n', (see Fig. 1,) like parts for the rock-shaft m androll m having lik-e letters of reference. To avoid shock on the returnof the roll to normal position, a buffer Z910, resting on a spring SX,is,

supported by the frame A in position to receive the roll, as shown onlyin Fig. 1.

The gears m2 m3, arm m4, and lever m5 for operating the roll'mcorrespond in construction to the parts n2, n2, n4, and n, respectively,hereinbefore particularly described, while a pinion C121 on the shaft ofdrum D' opcrates the gear` m2. Any suitable lock Ina-y be provided tohold the controlling-levers m5 and n.5 from accidental movement, oneform being shown in Fig. 3. A latch a7, pivoted on the handle andcontrolled by a spring n3, has a depending lug n, which bears against aprojection n10, fast on the frame side A2, except when withdrawn by thegrasp of the operators hand pressing the latch toward the lever.

In the drawings the roll 'mX is shown in its highest point, with thebale Bl` moving along the carrier to the front depression to take theplace of the bale B2, the unwinding of the latter bale being shown asalmost completed by the detent. i y

Obviously we are not limited to the length and capacity of the apparatusas herein shown, as any desired number of bales may be treated in asimilar manner, agreater number of bales consistent with economicalhandling and other considerations giving a better mixture, which isalways desirable. So, too, one or two bales may be unwound, if desirablefor anyreason, instead of a greater number, but in any case the manuallabor in connection with the apparatus is'rednced to one attendant.

lVeare aware that a lap of cotton or other iibrous material has beenunwound by means of a carrier depressed between supporting drums orrolls operating in connection with a heavy iron coreor arbor driven intothe center of or on which the bale is wound to readily lift the balesinto position.v upon the carrier. VA substantially U-shaped frame or.yoke P is pivotally connected at px to rockerarms p, mounted on arock-shaft p', j ournaled in the main frame A, said yoke extendingoutside of and at the rear of the frame and having at its bend suitablerests p2, slightly concave, as in Fig. 4, to receive a bale from atruck. On the inner side of the yoke castings P are rigidly attached toeach arm thereof, each casting having a longitudinal een tral bar p2,continuously toothed at its sides and rounded ends, said rack-bars beingadapted to be at times engaged simultaneously by pinions (E33 d2* on theends of the shaft of the drum D3. (See Figs. 2 and 4.) Tile racks areextended inward beyond the castings in the planes of Ythe pinions, whilethe ends of the shaft to which the latter are secured extend into thecastings and normally act to support the latter and the outer end of theyoke P, the hooked upper ends p of said castings hanging, as it were, onthe shaft ends. A treadle PX is shownin Figs. 4 and 5 as Amounted on theframe A, with its cam end p5 below the casting P on that side of thelyoke. y In the normal or full-line position of the bale-liftingmechanism, Fig. 4, the racks and pinions are out of engagement; but whena bale is to be lifted onto the carrier C an attendant depresses thetreadle to thereby slightly lift the yoke. This brings theslowlyrotating pinions (F3 F4 into mesh with the racks p2, and by thecontinued rotation of the pinions the racks and castings are liftedvgradually into dotted-line position, Fig. 4, elevating the yoke and thebale carried thereby until the bale can by a slight push be dislodgedfrom the rests p2 and transferred to the carrier. During this movementof the yoke and rack-carriers, as the castings P may be termed, theshaft endstravel within the side walls of the said castings, the rocker-IOO IIO

arms p/permitting the slight bodily movement of the yoke to the right,Figs. 4 and 5. After reaching the lower ends of the racks the pinionstravel around to thevopposite sides of the racks, and the yoke islowered 1. In an apparatus of the class described, an endless travelingcarrier, rotatable supports for and between which the upper run of thecarrier is depressed, to receive and support the bale to be unwound,means to rotate the supports, a detent located near the de- Atherebyinto normal position to receive a Y livery end of the carrier, and meansto positively rotate the detent oppositely to the rotation of the bale,on the carrier, to thereby effect the final unwinding of said bale uponthe carrier.

2. In an apparatus of the class described, an endless carrier, supportsfor and between which the upper run of the carrier is depressed, toreceive and support the bale, means to effect rotation of said supportsand longitiulinal movement of the carrier, a rotating` detent locatedabove and adjacent the delivery end of the latter, and means topositively rotate the detent in a direction opposite to the rotation ofthe bale on the carrier, to act upon and effect the filial nnwinding ofthe bat upon the carrier.

In an apparatus of the class described, an endless traveling carrier,end and intermediate supports for and between which the upper run of thecarrier is depressed, to reecive and support in each depression a baleto be unwound, means to rotate Said supports, means to prevent lateralmovement of the bales and bats as unwound therefrom, and a detentlocated above and adjacent the delivery end of the carrier, and means torotate it oppositely to the rotation of the bales, to act upon andeffect the filial unwinding of a bale when brought in contact therewithby the travel of the carrier.

I. In an apparatus of the class described, an endless traveling carrierhaving a sinuous upper run to present a plurality of depressions eachadapted to receive and support bales to be unwound, means to temporarilylift one of said depressed portions of the earrier to transfer the balesupported thereby to the next adjacent depression ahead, and a rotatingdetent to effect final unwinding of the leading bale.

5. In an apparatus of the class described, an endless traveling carrier,supports for and between which the upper run of the carrier is depressedto receive and support the bale to be unwound, independent means tomaintain the carrier depressed as the weight of the bale decreases, anda detent rotated above the unwound bat as delivered, to act upon andcomplete the unwinding of the bale upon the carrier.

G. In an apparatus of the class described, an endless traveling carrierhaving a sinuous upper run to present a plurality of depressions eaehadapted to receive and support bales to be unwound, independent means tomaintain the final depression as the weight of the bale supportedthereby decreases, an adjacent rotating detent located above thecarrier, to act upon and complete the unwinding of the bale upon thecarrier, and means to temporarily lift the next adjacent rear depressionof the upper run to transfer the bale supported thereby to the finaldepression.

7. In au apparatus of the class described, an endless traveling carrierhaving a sinuous upper run to present a plurality of depressions eachadapted to receive and support bales to be unwound, means to temporarilylift one of said depressed portions of the carrier to transfer the balesupported thereby to the next adjacent depression ahead, a rotatingdetent located at the delivery end of the carrier to effect iualunwinding ofthe leading bale, and a revolving delintcr at the receivingend of the apparatus, to act upon the inner face of the bale-cover andremove the staple threfrom.

S. In an apparatus of the class described, an endless traveling carrier,a continuouslyrotating shaft havingattaehed pinions,a balesupportnormally in position to receive a bale to be unwound, racks attached t0said support and normally disengaged from said piuions, and means tobring said racks and pinions into engagement, whereby the bale-supportis lifted by the rotative movement of the pinions to bring the bale onthe support into position to be transferred to the carrier.

t). A bale-lifting device, comprising a yoke having movable fulcra andadapted to support a bale at its free end, continuouslytoothed racksrigidly secured to said yoke, rotating pinions mounted in fixedbearings, and means to bring said racks and pinions into engagement,whereby the yoke isliftcd, and thereafter returned to normal `position,disengaging the racks and pinions.

l0. A bale-lifting device comprising a piv- Otally-mouuted yoke adaptedto support a bale at its free end, castings thereon having rack-bars,and hoods at their upper ends, a rotating shaft having pinions fastthereon, and adapted at times to engage the racks, to raise and lowerthe yoke, the ends of the shafts normally extending into the hoods, tosustain the yoke, and means to control the engagement of the racks andpinions.

In testimony whereof we have signed ou r names to this specification inthe presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ANADORE ll. BUSCA, ERNEST \V. IIENNEIL.

\Vituesses:

(juas. W. EATON, OSCAR It. JonNsoN.

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